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Abstract

Mental-health problems are a major and growing public-health challenge worldwide and are exacerbated in low-to-middle-income countries where mental health care is practically non-existent. The protective effects of social support for mental health are well-documented and appear to have evolutionary roots. This cross-sectional analysis of mental health and social support among 229 mothers from rural Nicaragua evaluates the hypothesis that increased perceived social support (PSS; measured using a locally developed instrument) is associated with improved mental health (assessed using the Self-Reporting Questionnaire). Regression analysis controlling for potential confounders revealed that PSS is not associated with maternal mental health. This may be explained by the instruments used, the fact that this analysis, (unlike others on the topic) controls for multiple potential confounders, or the cultural context in which participants live. This study provides a grounded consideration of this public-health crisis in a population neglected by almost all other studies on the topic.